De La Fuente, Calabrese qualify for 'Medal Race'

Argentines Juan De La Fuente and Lucas Calabrese achieved the "Medal Race" after reaching the third place in the overall results of the men's sailing 470 race, and will go for the bronze medal of the London 2012 Olympic Games on Thursday.

The Argentines were left sixth in the competition and third in the overall in the 10 races, allowing them to compete at the "Medal Race" on Thursday 9am.

De La Fuente and Calabrese overcame a mistake committed in the second race and with effort they managed to improve their performances they ended with 57 points at the overall, behind the Australians and British, followed by the Italians.

The overall qualification was headed by Matthew Belcher and Malcom Page with 18 units, followed by Luke Patience and Stuart Bithell with 22, then the Argentines with 57 and later, Italians Gabrio Zandona and Pietro Zucchetti with 60.

This result leaves the Australian and British to fight for the gold and silver medal; while Argentina, Italy and New Zealand (Paul Snow Hansen and Jason Saunders, with 72 points) will go for the bronze.

Argentina could win the medal if it beats Italy or remains rigth behind it, while New Zealand has less chances to win.

De La Fuente, 35-years-old, won the bronze medal at the Sidney 2000 Games along with Javier Conte, and also participated in Athenas 2004 and Beijing 2008.

Calabrese, 26-years-old, is having his first Olympic experience over the Weymouth waters.

Meanwhile, María Fernanda Sesto and Consuelo Monsegur dropped from the 13 to 14 place at the overall ranking of the women's sailing 470 race, and are getting far from the "medal race" classification.

They have accumulated 81 points so far, eleven mora than Japan's Ai Kondo and Wakako Tabata (70), who occupy the tenth place and last place for the "medal race."

The Argentines will run the ninth and tenth race on Wednesday, the last two to classify, and must make two good performances in order to reach the top ten and the "medal race" to be held on Friday.